Those Who Kill Our People – Kill Humanity
Urgent Statement to the Conscience of the World
An International Appeal to Save the Afar People in Eritrea from Systematic Extermination
The dark history of the Eritrean regime is stained with a series of systematic massacres against the Afar people, proving beyond doubt that mass murder is a state policy, not isolated incidents. Below are some of the bloodiest episodes that demand global attention:
Notable Massacres:
- Assayla Massacre (1988)
Victims: 250 young Afar men who rejected the recruitment practices of the EPLF (People’s Front).
Details: 2 EPLF military divisions gathered around 450 young men from various villages in the Red Sea region in Assayla, executed them in cold blood, and burned their bodies.
- Abhe Bad Massacre (2002)
- Victims: 106 civilians.
- Details: A commando unit attacked Afar villages after residents refused forced relocation for state projects.
- Testimonies: Survivors reported that bodies were either burned or thrown into wells to prevent burial.
- Ti’o and Addi Massacre (2005)
- Victims: 94 people, mostly herders and families.
- Details: Five villages were completely destroyed as punishment for refusing forced military conscription.
- Documentation: Red Sea Afar Human Rights Organization (2006 Report).
- Galalo Sea Crime (2006)
- Victims: 60 Afar fishermen.
- Details: The Eritrean navy bombed two civilian boats at sea and blocked rescue efforts.
- Ongoing Crime: Families have never received the bodies of the victims.
- Wadde Massacre (2013)
- Victims: 30 civilians, including women and children.
- Details: A full-scale military assault targeted two villages after protests against the confiscation of water sources and pastures.
- Evidence: Leaked images show wounded civilians executed in their hiding places.
Undeniable Facts:
1. Disguised Ethnic Cleansing
- Over 200,000 Afar people have been forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands in Red Sea Afar to make way for military and foreign power base projects.
- Farmlands and grazing areas have been seized without compensation, threatening the Afar’s traditional way of life.
2. Secret Death Prisons
- Hundreds of Afar detainees are held in facilities 100’s of prisons where torture and enforced disappearances are routine.
- Reliable reports confirm deaths under torture, including among women and children.
3. State-Enforced Slavery Disguised as “National Service”
- Young Afar are forced into unpaid labor for years, either in the military or state-run projects, as a tool to dismantle their social fabric.
4. Suspicious International Silence
- Despite UN condemnations (e.g., Resolution A/HRC/RES/56/17), the Afar people are left without protection, while atrocities continue under a global veil of silence.
Our Urgent Demands:
1. An independent international investigation into crimes against the Afar people, under the supervision of the International Criminal Court.
- Sanctions on perpetrators of these violations, including asset freezes and travel bans.
- An end to forced displacement, and the return of confiscated lands to their rightful owners.
- Immediate release of all Afar political prisoners and disclosure of the fate of those forcibly disappeared.
- Support for Afar refugees fleeing persecution, and protection of their rights in host countries.
Our Message to the World:
Do not wait until the Afar become a forgotten footnote in history. The Eritrean regime is committing crimes under the cover of silence. We refuse to let the 21st century witness another genocide.
We urge you to:
- Share these facts on media and social platforms using the hashtag #SaveAfarInEritrea
- Pressure your governments and parliaments to take a clear stance against Eritrean atrocities
- Support organizations documenting these crimes, such as Afar International and Human Rights Watch
“Injustice thrives in darkness – be the light for the Afar people before it’s too late.”
Sign the International Petition – Link in the comments
#SaveAfar #EritreaKillsItsPeople #SilenceIsComplicity
Statement prepared by an independent human rights coalition in collaboration with Afar activists in exile.
For contact or participation: [email: info.rsahro@gmail.com/ X: @rsahro1]
Verified Sources:
• United Nations Human Rights Council reports (2023–2024)
• Leaked documents from inside Eritrea (2022–2023)
• Survivor testimonies collected by the Afar organisation for Peace and Democracy
. In total The number of missing and killed Afar exceeds 14,000.
Ismeal Mohammed Gabayta
Executive Director
Red Sea Afar human Rights organization(RSAHRO)
May 18, 2025
RSAHRO 